News and Views

Late Barrow Goal Earns Point

01 December 2018 By Hob Nob Anyone?

A last minute equaliser from Mo Barrow gave Reading a well-deserved point against an in form and very strong City side. Having taken the lead just before half time courtesy of Mark McNulty's first goal for Reading, the Royals lost their way in a disastrous spell after the interval. Sloppy defending provided Afobe with the chance to atone for a missing a sitter early in the game by leveling the scores. A spectacular volley from Ince gave the visitors the lead and they looked likely to push on and win the game comfortably. The introduction of Meite, Baldock and Barrow revitalised a flagging Royals attack. They came close to finding the equaliser on a couple of occasions before Meite set up Barrow for fine finish with very little stoppage time remaining. I think most Reading fans would have settled for a point before what looked to be a very difficult fixture.
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Discussion On This Story:

John Madejski's Wallet

Meite was a beast when he came on. Pretty much MotM for me just for those last 15min. Ran the Stoke defenders all over the place and was our only player to physically outmuscle them

Pleased for McNulty but he didn't do much else. Rhino looked good in patches, but Yiadom was very good.

McCleary....don't get where he was playing first half, was much better playing on the RW in the last 20

Kulshaw72RFC

» 01 Dec 2018 17:46

Swift is awful. OUT!

Club1871 is awful. OUT!

Clement is awful. OUT!

Get rid of those 3 deadwood and we will stay up!!!!

UUUUUURRRRRRRZZZZZZZZ

windermereROYAL

» 01 Dec 2018 17:48

you missed one..YOURSELF, Piss off.

AthleticoSpizz

» 01 Dec 2018 17:53

^ this

Basically a decent draw with our second string team versus (for all intents and purposes) a Premier team

Reading4eva

» 01 Dec 2018 17:59

Stoke aren't a Premier League team mate, they were appalling last season. If they were they would still be there. However a good result against a decent side at this level with an outstanding keeper. Need to pick up 3 points soon, from where though I'm not sure. Need to be on at least 26 points at Christmas

AthleticoSpizz

» 01 Dec 2018 18:10

Stoke aren't a Premier League team mate, they were appalling last season. If they were they would still be there. However a good result against a decent side at this level with an outstanding keeper. Need to pick up 3 points soon, from where though I'm not sure. Need to be on at least 26 points at Christmas

Kulshaw72RFC

stealthpapes

sandman

» 01 Dec 2018 18:39

Well that was a struggle to watch. The same issues as usual after half time. Although we weren't exactly brilliant in the first half either.

The referee was an absolute disgrace and seemed to be starstruck by the ex Premier League names on show. I think he's the one that Steve Clarke said shouldn't referee at this level ever again in an assessors report a few years ago, shame nobody listened.

Stoke probably the quietest away fans all season. Only made noise after they'd scored and that was just two short airings of Delilah. Afobe dived three times, once audibly shouting ref before his marker had even got near him, nothing from the ref to penalise him though and the less said about James Mcclean the better.

Jaakkola - Made some good saves in both halves that kept us in the game. 8

Yiadom - Energetic up and down the wing. Stitched up by Illori for the second goal. 7

Illori - Absolutely terrible performance defensively and in possession, casual and sloppy. Seems to have a far too high an opinion of himself and his ability. Needs to realise he's in a team fighting against relegation. 2

Blackett - Cant decide whether he had a decent game or if Illori was so bad that he looked better than he was. 5

Gunter - His usual self in the first half but was one of the few to improve in the second. 6

Bacuna - All action display from him. I'm not his biggest fan but he was ok today. 6

Swift - Sorry Seth, he was awful again apart from one very good turn in the first half. Just wish he would do it more because the ability is there. 4

Rinomhota - An absolute star. Involved himself in everything against an experienced Stoke side. 9 motm

McCleary - Was being fouled over and over again but the idiot in black gave him nothing which meant he couldn't get any momentum going in the game. 6

Loader - Wasn't involved too much. He is very good at finding little pockets of space but team mates didn't really find him. Starting might be a bit too much for him but definitely worth a bench place. 5

Mcnulty - Took the goal well although it would have been difficult to miss. 6

Subs:

Meite - Excellent cameo. Constant threat, Stoke didn't know what hit them. Apparently he did well to hold up the ball for the goal, although I wouldn't know as I'd left. 8

Baldock - Ok, could have scored from a Meite cross but good defending. Almost put therough once but lacked the pace to get the ball. 5

Barrow - The goal masks what was a pretty poor performance. A shot that went out for a throw and a terrible touch that also went out for a throw. Hopefully the goal will give him back some confidence. 5

Westwood52

» 01 Dec 2018 18:59

Bit ironic that Barrow should pull Clement out of the knackers yard-given their apparent disputes this season.
Strange selection prompted by more illness and injury-hopefully after Tuesday;Clement was forced to pick Gunts.

IMHO:

Jakkola 7 : Couple of good saves, didn't do much wrong. For some reason his kicking wasn't quite so bad as usual.

Yiadom 5: Personally I thought he had a bit of a stinker-as mentioned before his early season form seems to have deserted him-like so much of the team however there were some good moments.

Gunts 3: Better than Tuesday (wouldnt be hard); thought he didnt put in much of a shift. Should have pressed Ince tighter on their 2nd goal. So often struggled in recovery.
Ilori 4: This guy is so frustrating. After a good perfomance midweek-there was a lot of dross today.
Blackett 6: The pick of the defence.Very comfortable at CB.
Rhino 7: For such an inexperienced player had to block a lot of hole. Brilliant on our 1st. MOM.
Swift 4 : In his best position, and at times ran the game. But a lot of misplaced passes.
Bacuna 6: Summed up the team really; lot of good stuff, amongst the bad. Lucky it was only a yellow. Far better attitude this season. No doubt the prospect of Div 1 frightens him.
Macca 6 : Ditto Bacuna really. A lot of good stuff let down by some dross.
Loader 4: Some nice touches; but rarely in the game.
McNulty4: Got his goal at long last-but ineffectual.

Barrow: He does carry a threat and Stoke were never comfortable once came on.
Meite: Smashed his way round, good hold up play for the 2nd.
Baldock: Very little really.

An enjoyable good footballing game by both sides; mixed with a lot of dross.

Ref: 1st half, did OK-terrible secomd half though.

muirinho

» 01 Dec 2018 19:01

Amazing the difference between being pegged back to a draw and getting an equalizer, in terms of mood. We were lucky to get that point though.

Jaakkola - 8. Didn't do much wrong, and made some great saves

Yiadom - 6 Horrible mixup with Ilori, compoounded by them arguing with each other instead of getting on with the game. Otherwise pretty decent, in both attack and defence, and kept plugging away.
Ilori - 3 - Passing dreadful, at fault partially for both goals. He needs a senior player beside him, and obviously Blackett can't do that. Pity such a talented player needs a minder.
Blackett - 6. Partially at fault for first goal, but otherwise decent showing
Gunter - 6. Caught out positionally a couple of times, but had no cover from Swift. Improved during the game. Couple of decent crosses, and provided an attacking outlet that wasn't always used.

Bacuna - 7. Mix of good and bad. Something really good, followed by a lazy sloppy pass. Infuriating player becuase you feel he's got it in him to be better.
Rinomhota - 9. MOTM for me.
Swift - 3. Was good for about 15 minutes, then seemed like he couldn't be bothered for the rest of the game. Worst player defensively by far. Is he fit?

McCleary - 6. Things just didn't seem to be working out for him in offence, but he kept trying. Worked hard, tracked back, played his part. Referee seems to hate him!
Loader - 5. Bullied too much by the Stoke players, although again the referee could have helped him a bit more. Hope he keeps a place on the bench, but think being a starter is a step too far, just yet.
McNulty - 6. Great goal, absolutely delighted for him after Tuesday. Didn't do much else though

Meite - 7 Put himself about, much more suited to playing Stoke than McNulty or Loader. Hope he's back fully fit for next game
Baldock - 5 - Didn't really notice him do much
Barrow - 6 Great finish, but otherwise wasn't great.

Referee - 2. Do all referees hate us or something? Are they getting served up awful food pre-game and taking it out on us? So inconsistent.
Clement - 5. At times it looks like the players have no idea what shape they are meant to be playing. And that very narrow back 4 defence only works if you have midfielders who track back and defend. But credit due to him for cobbling together a working team despite the late withdrawals, and for the subs, which were timely and good.

Overall I'm fairly happy. Yes, we need 3 points, but the team is showing a bit of resilience and fight which we need.